Game News First Dragon Age screen & info

[Vault Dweller]

Tags: BioWare; Dragon Age

<a href=http://www.1up.com>1UP</a> has announced that the first issue of Games For Windows (formerly known as Computer Gaming World) will be loaded with <a href=http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3154863>Dragon Age info</a>. Here is a teaser:
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<blockquote>- The story is dark-much darker than the usual BioWare fare-and influenced by "realistic" modern fantasy like George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones.
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- The game uses an evolved "tactical real-time combat" style of Baldur's Gate, only in 3D-you queue up orders for multiple party members, pause the game when you need to think, and your party members will be able to execute coordinated attacks.
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- Large-scale creature combat will have your characters doing stuff like ducking between legs and jumping on backs of monsters (dare we say dragons?).
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- Even though Dragon Age isn't a D&D game, per se, BioWare is sticking close to those roots with the class and rules systems.
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- The game uses a "modified" version of the Mass Effect conversation system we're all so keen on.
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- Depending on the type of character you choose, the game offers multiple different "origin stories"-meaning the first few hours of the game will be totally different depending on which character archetype you choose.
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- The game's actually coming out in late 2007 or early 2008.</blockquote>The early screens looked much better. The Mass Effect dumb system in DA is the biggest disappointment of the year.
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Thanks, DemonKing

 

[Volourn]

99% (or whatever) of that info is NOT new. Morons.

 

[sheek]

As the great Volourn says, this news ain't news, fuckface!

R00fles!

Back to playing your Gothic 3 now..

 

[Vault Dweller]

99% (or whatever) of that info is NOT new. Morons.

Let me ask you a question, Volly - so fucking what?

 

[Micmu]

99% (or whatever) of that info is NOT new. Morons.

Stop your goddamn whining in every single thread now and suck on a lolipop, it will calm you down.

 

[Volourn]

"Let me ask you a question, Volly - so fucking what?"

NEWs

 

[merry andrew]

Re: First Dragon Age screen & info

- Depending on the type of character you choose, the game offers several various multiple different "origin stories"-meaning the first few hours of the game will be totally different depending on which character archetype you choose.

Fixed.

 

[Vault Dweller]

@ Volourn:

Is the first official screenshot news? The magazine coverage news?

1. No

Congratulations! You know everything about anything. Your superhuman senses and the insane amount of time you spent on the internet boards have increased your awareness of events taking place around you and made you annoying as fuck.

2. Yes.

Shut the fuck up!

 

[Dgaider]

Re: First Dragon Age screen & info

- The game uses a "modified" version of the Mass Effect conversation system we're all so keen on.

I'm not sure what that's supposed to mean. Other than perhaps the fact that it will be a bit more cinematic, I don't really think the dialogue systems in DA and Mass Effect have much in common. *shrug*

- The early screens looked much better.

Really? The ones that were done in the NWN engine? That would be... interesting.

 

[Volourn]

There's only one way to shut me up, VD. You know what it is. Your choice NOT to use the awesome power you (or others) have.

As for this 'news'; it's frivilous at best. One screenshot doesn't equal news.

Anyways, on the positive side, I agree with your assessment of the screenshot. It looks good; but not WOWSER like espicially for a game due out later this year/early next year.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Re: First Dragon Age screen & info

I'm not sure what that's supposed to mean. Other than perhaps the fact that it will be a bit more cinematic, I don't really think the dialogue systems in DA and Mass Effect have much in common. *shrug*

Well, thank God for that.

Really? The ones that were done in the NWN engine?

Is that bad? I didn't know. Anyway, it's a personal preference, nothing more. I think that this - link - looks much better than the screen in the article.

 

[Vault Dweller]

There's only one way to shut me up, VD. You know what it is. Your choice NOT to use the awesome power you (or others) have.

What are you talking about? The dumbfuck title? If you want to have it removed, just say so.

As for this 'news'; it's frivilous at best. One screenshot doesn't equal news.

I'll add it to the Codex employee manual.

 

[Dhruin]

One screenshot can definitely be news - and it is if it's the first real one for a game like Dragon Age from a major player like BioWare.

 

[MountainWest]

I like the new screen shot; it's got a Gothic-style to it, with the pointy rooftops and seemingly chaotic layout. Can't see how you, VD, can prefer the older one; it's sterile and boring. Really NWN:ish.

Though I would have prefered to see much more details, stuff lying thrown along the walls. Grass growing in some cracks and so on. Then again, the way things seem to be might mean I won't have to buy a new computer to play it.

Question is, does the shield come with blood?

 

[Moggs]

Yeah, I have to agree with the other posters - this new screenshot makes the world look far more "alive" than the NWN-esque one.

However, I think I know where VD is coming from: us RPGers are heavily biased to like the quasi-isometric views as we associate them with a greater level of roleplay than the behind-the-shoulder camera viewpoints. We're like Pavlov's dogs... Thinking rationally though, there's no reason per se why camera angle should anything to do with gameplay though.

 

[MountainWest]

Of course, and I agree. But I don't think the camera angle we see in that picture will be the default one. It is after all a party-based RPG. That shot is more of a PR shot than anything else, or so I think.

EDIT: And here's the real answer, from DGaider at the Bioboards:

The way the camera system works at present (and that may change) it looks like the screenshot when you're moving around and switches to the BG-style overhead view when you're in combat. There may be modifications, of course, and no doubt there will be options for those who want a different view.

 

[Psilon]

There's only one way to shut me up, VD. You know what it is. Your choice NOT to use the awesome power you (or others) have.

What are you talking about? The dumbfuck title? If you want to have it removed, just say so.

No, Volourn's trying to get banned again. He (?) has done this before, if you recall.

 

[Volourn]

Not quite true.

I'm not trying to get banned.

SECRET: I'd rather not be banned from here; but I wouldn't cry if I were. I'd *shrug* and move on. I. will. live. on. and. so. would. the. Codex.

*shrug*



ON TOPIC: Screenshot looks good. Not awesome; but good.

The ability to dodge under large creatures' legs is cool *and* new (unless I missed it on the BIO baords).

The backgrounds are *old* but still *awesome*.

 

[Slith]

Volourn would you please quit your fucking whining in every thread? You're like an immature three year old throwing a temper tantrum because he isn't getting his way.

 

[Volourn]

R00fles!

 

[Walks with the Snails]

There's only one way to shut me up, VD. You know what it is. Your choice NOT to use the awesome power you (or others) have.

Working on it. As soon as I get diplomatic immunity and a plane ticket to Canada you're gonna be lying face down in a puddle of your own blood and feces. And a great cheer shall ring down Lakeshore Drive as word gets around that that creepy fat guy that never left the house except to get the mail and inappropriately proposition the neighborhood children is no more.

 

[Texas Red]

NWN engine? So you *did* change it. You are consolifing it, arent you?

 

[Jed]

Yuck. The screenshot looks like that one city in Morrowind, can't remember the name, but the one with mansion Creeper lived in. Except somehow less stylish. I'll take updated NWN over re-done Morrowind any day.

 

[Ryuken]

I think the screenshot looks just nice, at first sight comparable to what you see in NWN2 and The Witcher. More interesting is the interface, loving the BG-ish sidebar at the left but the rest seems a bit too much MMO-ish to me.

And if the ultra-hyping Games For Windows (/pka the tards from CGW) puts this game on their cover, does that mean that this might become a Vista-exclusive title (which I sincerely hope it will not be)?

Also, it seems to me that since they are talking about Mass Effect too, that that might be confirmed for PC also?

 

[Nog Robbin]

Looks pretty good, and the large creature combat sounds interesting and fairly unique. Not sure about the pause and queue combat system. The multiple origins sounds interesting too - one of the biggest problems in RPG is always starting in the same place - even with different character builds this can mean you encounter the same things so can stunt replay value (even if the endings are different, having to repeat the first 25% or more approximately the same can seem a drag for some players).